I began my career with Bilfinger Industrial Services through an apprenticeship based at Syngenta. As a top-tier COMAH site, it offered me a rich training ground—rotating through disciplines and roles across the full project lifecycle. From MEICA design, structural and civil works, and inspections to workshop fabrication, installations, integrity and reliability engineering, and even a stint with the QSHE department—I’ve worn many hats.
Eventually, I settled into a role as a mechanical and piping engineer. My responsibilities spanned piping and mechanical equipment design (vessels, tanks, pumps, heat exchangers), structural layouts, civil elements, and documentation—all while staying compliant with the ever-watchful eyes of the HSE and local authorities. As I progressed, I led teams of draughtsmen, managed contractor relationships, and oversaw FEED designs for large-scale, multi-million-pound projects.
As Head of Piping Design and Special Projects at RAE, flexibility is key. On the piping side, I manage our design team’s workload—balancing internal resources, client expectations, and workshop needs—while offering guidance and quality checks on all deliverables. I also provide design input myself; I still enjoy getting hands-on with CAD now and again (no sense in getting rusty!).
Piping design often overlaps with plant layout, so I coordinate with multiple disciplines to ensure everything fits together seamlessly and safely.
In the “Special Projects” sphere, I jump in at the earliest stages—helping clients make sense of their big, often complex ideas. Using my cross-disciplinary experience and end-to-end project knowledge, I support FEED studies and collaborate with our proposals team to shape viable, value-driven solutions and quotations.
Qualifications:
HNC in Mechanical Engineering, followed by a range of certified continuous improvement courses from institutions such as ABB and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. These focused on design, pressure systems, codes, and regulations—building a specialisation within the process manufacturing industry.
Luke Noble
Head of Piping Design & Special Projects